Libya is a close, high-consumption market for Egyptian faba beans (dried broad beans, HS 0713.50). Faba is a daily staple in Libyan cooking — from ful to bazin accompaniments — and the country relies on imports. Egypt’s shared border, sea links and status as a recognised top-five global exporter of dried broad beans make it Libya’s most practical origin. This guide covers grades, logistics, import requirements, crop calendar and pricing.

Quick Answer

Libya imports faba beans as a daily staple. Egypt is the natural origin — shared border, short sea links and a recognised top-five exporter of dried broad beans (HS 0713.50). Grades: large-seeded whole, small-seeded, split/decorticated. Ships in 25/50 kg bags in dry containers (sea) or by overland reefer-free trucking. Imports need a phytosanitary certificate, Halal handling and MRL compliance.

Why Libya Imports Egyptian Faba Beans

Libyan cuisine leans heavily on faba, and domestic production is limited, so imports fill everyday demand. Egypt is uniquely placed: the two countries share a land border, and both sea and overland routes are well established. Egyptian faba matches Libyan cooking preferences, and the short logistics keep landed costs low — making Egypt the default supplier for Libyan importers and wholesalers.

Market snapshotDetail
Use in marketFul, daily staple cooking, foodservice
HS code0713.50 (dried broad & horse beans)
Main routesSea (Benghazi, Misrata, Tripoli); overland
Transit timeSea 4–8 days; overland faster
Packaging25 / 50 kg PP bags
GradesLarge whole, small-seeded, split/decorticated

Grades & Specifications

Large-seeded whole faba: premium, uniform, for ful and whole-bean dishes. Small-seeded faba: economical everyday grade. Split/decorticated: for quick-cook and puree applications. Specifications cover moisture (≤13%), purity/admixture, sizing and defect tolerance. Product is machine-cleaned, calibrated and colour-sorted, with whole/split and size band specified by the buyer.

Logistics & Route

Dried faba is shelf-stable and ships in standard dry containers in 25/50 kg bags to Benghazi, Misrata or Tripoli in roughly 4–8 days by sea; overland trucking from Egypt is used for faster, flexible replenishment. No cold chain is needed. Bags must be kept dry and ventilated to hold moisture spec; fumigation certificates are commonly required.

Import Requirements

Libyan imports require a phytosanitary certificate from Egyptian plant quarantine, a certificate of origin, a health/food-safety certificate and often a fumigation certificate. Pesticide residues must meet applicable MRLs. Consignments follow Halal-compliant handling and Arabic labelling (product, origin, packer, net weight, lot). Buyers increasingly ask for HACCP/ISO 22000 at the packing facility and lot traceability.

Crop Calendar & Availability

PeriodAvailability
April–JuneMain harvest — new-crop faba
July–DecemberPeak shipping from stored new crop
January–MarchContinuity supply from storage

Faba stores well, so Egypt supplies Libya year-round from the spring harvest, with both sea and overland options for continuous stock.

Source & data: Egypt is recognised among the world’s top-five exporters of dried broad beans. Source: Tridge broad-bean trade overview, 2024. HS code 0713.50 (dried broad & horse beans, shelled). Per-market volumes vary seasonally and are confirmed at contracting; no per-market figure is asserted here.

PEI Trade — New Cairo, Egypt. Request a quote or faba bean spec sheet →